Antirrhinum plant named ‘Balumhopi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Antirrhinum plant named ‘Balumhopi’, characterized by its bright pink flowers, mounded and trailing habit, and dark green leaves.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED

Anthirrhinum majus.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Balumhopi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct Antirrhinum plant, botanically known as Antirrhinum majus, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balumhopi’. The new cultivar was developed by the inventor through a controlled breeding program during 1998 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Antirrhinum cultivars with mounded trailing habit, continuous flowering, excellent basal branching and small, dark green leaves.

The female (seed) parent of ‘Balumhopi’ was the proprietary Antirrhinum breeding selection designated 422-4, which exhibits an upright habit, yellow flowers and medium green foliage. The male (pollen) parent of ‘Balumhopi’ was the proprietary Antirrhinum breeding selection designated 427-3 which exhibits a semi-trailing habit, light pink flowers and medium green foliage. The new cultivar was discovered as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the above stated cross in December 1999 and was initially designated 1195-1.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has been carried out at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. by terminal tip cuttings and has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein described are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It was found that the cultivar of the present invention:

(a) Exhibits bright pink flowers;

(b) Forms dark green foliage;

(c) Exhibits a good basal branching character; and

(d) Exhibits a trailing growth habit.

The new cultivar of the present invention can be compared to ‘Balumpink’ (co-pending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/808,532). In side-by-side comparisons, the flowers of ‘Balumhopi’ are darker pink than those of ‘Balumpink’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. The plants were grown for 12 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar ‘Balumhopi’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length. The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color values were determined on Apr. 18, 2001. The readings were taken between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. under natural daylight conditions. The plants were produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and were grown in a double polycarbonate covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown utilizing a soilless growth medium with temperatures of approximately 65° to 75° F. (18° to 24° C.) during the day and approximately 50° to 55° F. (10° to 14° C.) during the night and light levels of 5,000 to 6,000 footcandles being maintained. Plants used for the following descriptions and measurements were grown in 10 cm pots for 12 weeks from rooted cuttings.

Classification:

Botanical.—Antirrhinum majus cultivar ‘Balumhopi’.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Antirrhinum breeding selection designated 422-4.

Male parent.—Proprietary Antirrhinum breeding selection designated 427-3.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal tip.

Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.

Time to develop roots.—Approximately 14 to 21 days.

Root description.—Fibrous, branching.

Plant description:

Habit of growth.—Vigorous with good basal branching. Pinching improves basal branching. A mature plant, 12 weeks after the planting of a rooted cutting, measures approximately 16.9 cm in height and approximately 31.3 cm in diameter with an average of 7.7 branches.

Form.—Mounded and trailing.

Stem.—Approximately 22.5 cm in length, 2 mm in diameter, puberulent and and 146B. Internode length is approximately 3 cm.

Foliage.—Leaves are non-fragrant, single, opposite and at an acute angle to the stem. Leaves are ovate with entire margin, acute apex and attenuate base. Upper surface is puberulent, lower surface is glabrous. Leaf length is approximately 5.5 cm and width is approximately 2.3 cm. Upper surface of mature foliage is 137A, lower surface of mature foliage is 138B. Both upper and lower surfaces have pinnate venation. Venation of upper surface is 144C and venation of lower surface is 143C. Petiole length is approximately 5 mm, diameter is approximately 1 mm, surface is puberulent and color is 144C.

Flowering description:

Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.

Natural flowering season.—Year round in greenhouse environment and spring through autumn in outdoor garden.

Lastingness of the bloom (on the plant).—Approximately ten days.

Flower arrangement.—Terminal racemes.

Peduncle.—Strong, puberulent, at an acute angle to the stem, approximately 7 mm in length and 1 mm in diameter. Peduncle color is 144B.

Flower bud.—Obovate, approximately 1.2 cm in length and 8 mm in diameter. Bud color is 179C. Texture is villous.

Flower description.—Flowers are bilabiate. The upper lip has two obovate lobes with rounded tips, entire margins, and attenuate bases. The lower lip has three obovate lobes with rounded tips, entire margins, and attenuate bases. Flower length is approximately 3.5 cm and width is approximately 2.4 cm. Color of fully open flowers: Upper surface of upper lip is 59D with base of 2D. The upper surface of the lower lip is 59D. The upper surface of the palate is 9A. The undersurface of the palate is 51C. Lower surface of all lobes is 55B. Inside of throat is 155D with hairs of 155D and venation of 60D. Outside of throat is pubescent and 155D with venation of 60D.

Sepals.—Five, approximately 7 mm in length and 3 mm in width with acute apex and entire margin. Both upper and lower surfaces are densely pubescent and 137A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: There are 4 stamens-2 are approximately 1.9 cm in length and 2 are approximately 1.3 cm in length. Anthers are 3 mm in length and 10B in color. Pollen is abundant and color is 10A. Gynoecium: One pistil, 1.8 cm in length. Stigma is 2 mm in length and color is 1C. Style length is 1.3 cm and color is lighter than 58D. Ovary length is 3 mm, texture is densely pubescent and color is 144D.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens has not been observed. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Antirrhinum plant named ‘Balumhopi’ substantially as herein shown and described, which: (a) Exhibits bright pink flowers; (b) Dark green foliage; (c) A good basal branching character; and (d) A mounded and trailing growth habit. 